At 22, Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest tennis player to complete a career Grand Slam. He was missing the Australian Open, which he won the first time he reached the final, in which he beat the record holder (of majors and in Melbourne) Nevak Djokovic. The Spaniard took a while to get going, having lost the opening set by a clear 6-2, but as soon as he got into his usual form, he convincingly prevailed and won the victory by 6-2, 6-3 and 7-5, in just over three hours. History has been redefined.@carlosalcaraz #AO26 pic.twitter.com/6G73MBxmDT — Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 1, 2026 After two very tough semi-finals (the one Alcaraz won against Alexander Zverev was the longest in the history of the tournament), the physical issue was unavoidable. Especially in the case of Djokovic, who at 38 years old (he turns 39 in May) continues to defy logic and give younger generations a fight. The Serbian, so far undefeated in finals in Australia (with an impressive 10-0 record) and coming off a five-set victory against Jannik Sinner, started better, winning the opening set with authority (6-2). But this moment “awakened” Alcaraz, who responded in force. He started by returning 6-2, in the second set, and completed the turnaround with a 6-3, achieved only in the fifth set pointin a third game in which Djokovic committed almost three times as many unforced errors as his rival (14 against five). Leaning against the wall, Djokovic did what everyone expected of him. He took a step forward, raised his game level and forced Alcaraz to a demanding fourth set, which even started with the Serb saving six points. break to hold his inaugural service game. From then on, there was a tough battle on the Rod Laver Arena, in which the veteran Djokovic only succumbed when he served to try to take the decision to the tie-break. A sequence of mistakes by Novak helped Alcaraz's celebration, as he never seems to get tired of making tennis history. In front of an audience full of illustrious people, from Rafael Nadal to John McEnroe, was there a kind of passing of testimony? Only time will tell if Djokovic will return to a Grand Slam final, but everything is expected from Alcaraz. Until the attack at 24 majors from the Serbian, although, for now, there are “only” seven. At 22 years old, it's important not to forget. [Artigo atualizado às 12h02]
